Gas valve



Oct. 20, 1942.

P. S. HARPER GAS VALVE Filed Feb. 12, 194i Patented Oct. 20, 1942 GAS VALVE Philip S. Harper, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by direct and mesne assignment s, o! one-fourth to Philip S. Harper and one-fourth to Carolyn L. Harper,

both of Chicago, Ill., and one-fourth to Harris Trust and Savings Bank, an Illinois banking corporation,

as trustee of the Philip S. Harper trust, and one-fourth to said Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as trustee of the Carolyn L.

Harper trust Application February 12, 1941, Serial No. 378,534

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to gas valves and particularly to gas valves for use with gas burners having two burner sections. Gas burners of this type are commonly called double gas burners, and the two burner sections are called main and simmer burner sections.

Double gas burners have separate burner chambers for the two sections, and the valves heretofore used therewith have been provided with two gas outlet passageways, one feeding the main burner section and the other, the simmer burner section. These valves are constructed to supply gas to the simmer section only or to both the main and simmer sections. The valves have two distinct operating positions wherein gas is supplied to the burner sections at predetermined rates. In one position, the full on position, gas is supplied to both burner sections at maximum rates determined by nozzles at the ends of the outlet passageways. In a second position, the "si'mmer position, gas is supplied to the simmer burner section at a predetermined low rate. The valves also have turn down ranges to enable the user to regulate the flow of gas when both burner sections are used and when the simmer section alone is used.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide double gas valves of the type described above that are operable to a further position to supply gas to the simmer burner section at a predetermined low rate suflicient to keep warm small quantities of liquid or food. This position of the valve is commonly known as a low simmer position. However, the valves heretofore constructed with the three definite operating positions mentioned have not proven to be commercially acceptable because of their cost and size.

of a gas valve embodying the present invention, the valve and its operating handle being illustrated in its oil position;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional .view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1 illustrating the valve in its full on position; and

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary cross-sectional views similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the valve between the interior of the valve plug and a surrounding the valve stem but fixedly secured,

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to overcome these disadvantages and to provide a new and improved double gas valve constructed to have three distinct operating positions for supplying gas to a double burner at three predetermined rates.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a valve of the type described wherein the rate of flow of gas in one of said operating positions, and more specifically a low simmer position, may be readily adjusted without affecting the rates of flow obtaining in the other operating positions of the valve.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description, in the course of which reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

' Fig. 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away,

chamber l1 within which the plug is mounted. The plug is provided also with a pair of main radially disposed passageways i8 and 20 located approximately from each other, and a small and also radially disposed auxiliary passageway 22 located between the main radial passageways. The end of passageway 22 adjacent the outer surface of the valve plug is enlarged, as indicated by reference character 23, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The valve plug is rotatable by a handle 24 secured to a valve stem 26 formed integrally with the plug. The valve has associated with it a movement restricting and position indicating washer or detent plate 28 surrounding and movable by the valve stem and cooperating with a plurality of projections an (only one of which is shown) extending inwardly from a plate 32 also to the valve body. Plate 28 is urged toward plate 32 by a spring 34 surrounding the valve stem and also urging the valve plug into its seat. The particular construction and arrangement of these plates forms no part of the present invention, the construction being disclosed and claimed in the application of Turner et al. (Case 2) Gas valves, filed contemporaneously herewith.

The valve body is provided with a main gas inlet passageway 36 formed in a boss 38 as by a drilling operation. The boss is exteriorly threaded for attaching to the usual gas supply manifold, not shown. The valve body is also provided with a pair of axially extending, spaced apart, exteriorly threaded bosses 40 and 42 that are drilled to form gas outlet passageways 44 and 48 through which gas is supplied to the simmer and main burner sections, respectively, of a double gas burner, not shown. Passageway ll communicates directly with chamber l1 and therethrough with axial passageway l6 of the valve plug, as

' shown in Fig. 1, and passageway 46 communiof conventional construction, are secured to the v outer ends of bosses 46 and 42 to provide nozzles through which gas is supplied to the burners at suitable velocities when the valve is in its full on position.

The valve body is also provided with a'further boss 54 within which is mounted a valve member 56 adjustable to vary the amount of gas supplied to the simmer section when the valve plug is rotated into its low simmer position, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. Any suitable valve mechanism may be employed to provide the adjustment, although the construction illustrated is an improvement forming the subject matter of the copending application of Turneret al. (Case 3) Gas valves. The valve to vary the flow of gas through a small passageway 66 formed at the reduced end portion of the insert and communicating with the valve plug surface through a passageway 62 opening into the valve chamber ll at a point approximately 60 from the main gas inlet passageway, but in the opposite direction from the passageway 48 leading to the main burner outlet passageway. The

interior of the insert communicates with the main gas inlet passageway 36 through a small passageway 64 formed in the insert, an annular chamber 66 defined by the reduced end portion of the insert and the interior of boss 54, and a diagonally disposed passageway 66 connecting the chamber andmain gas inlet passageway. Leakage of gas and undesired movement of the valve 56 are prevented by a cap I6 and a sealing gasket 12.

Before proceeding with a description of the operation of the valve, it should be noted that with exception of the outlet passageways and the axial passageway in the valve plug, the various passageways are all located in the same plane. This construction possesses the advantage that the valve body may be made short while maintaining the valve plug sealing surfaces within required limits. Furthermore, the construction of the valve is simplified and made more economical.

The operation of the valve may best be understood by considering the various operating positions of the valve. In the off position illustrated in Fig. 3, the valve plug occupies a position wherein the main and branch gas inlet passageways are closed so that no gas is supplied to either the main or simmer sections of the burner. At this time the valve operating handle 24 occupies the position indicated in Fig. 1 and as indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 3.

The low simmer position of the valve is indicated in Fig. 4. When in this position, the valve plug is located counterclockwise of its off position, as indicated by the position of arrow A in Fig. 4. In this position gas is supplied to the simmer section of the burner at a rate determined by the position of adjustable valve 56, the gas flowing to the simmer section of the burner from the inlet gas manifold through inlet passage= member 56 is adjustably mounted in an insert 58 way 36, passageways 68, 64, 66, and 62, all of which are in .the valve body, radial and axial passageways I8 and I6 in the valve plug, chamber l1, and outlet passageway 44. Ordinarily it is desirable to adjust the valve 56 so that the gas burner will be supplied with 'sufflcient gas to furnish heat at a rate of approximately 250 B. t. u. per hour, this being suflicient to keep warm small quantities of liquid and food.

In the simmer position the valve plug is rotated to a position approximately 90 counterclockwise of the off position, as indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 5. From an inspection of 'this figure it may be seen that gas is supplied only to the simmer section, the gas being supplied directly to the axial passageway within the valve plug primarily through the radial passageway I8 now open to the main gas inlet passageway 36. The axial passageway iii of the valve plug communicates with the inlet passageway 36. The axial passageway l6 of the valve plug communicates with the inletv passageway 36 also through the path including the adjustable valve 56, but most of the gas flows through passageway [8 because of the restricted opening provided by adjustable valve 56. Consequently, adjustment of valve 56 does not materially vary the rate of flow of gas when the valve is in its simmer position. The rate of flow of gas is determined at this time by the adjustment of the hood 52 associated with the simmer burner section, as already indicated. Ordinarily the hood is adjusted so that gas is supplied to the simmer burner section at a rate sulficient to provide about 1200 B. t. u. per hour, which is suflicient to keep hot relatively large quantities of liquids and foods.

In the full on position illustrated in Fig. 2, the valve plug is rotated approximately 135 from its off position, as again indicated by the arrow A. At this time the inlet passageway 36 is connected directly to the simmer and main burner outlet passageways 64 and 46, the connection to the former being through the radial and axial passageways 26 and I6 in the valve plug, and the connection to the latter being through the two mentioned passageways and radial passageway [8 all in the valve plug.

A regulatable supply of gas to both the main and simmer sections is obtainable by rotating the valve plug to various angular positions between its full on and simmer positions. The auxiliary passageway 22, which is formed with the enlarged outer end 23, gives a final even turn down when the valve plug is operated from its full on to its simmer position. It prevents the cutting down of the gas supply to a rate determined by the position of needle valve 56 when the valve plug is rotated from its on to its simmer position.

In addition to having a turn down range for both burner sections, a turn down range is provided for the simmer section alone. This turn down range is obtainable by rotating the valve plug to a position intermediate its simmer position and the low simmer position and prior to the time that passageway I8 is sealed from passageway 36' as indicated in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of the valve of the present invention, it may be noted that the valve may be constructed simply and economically, may be operated simply, and adjustment of the amount of gas supplied in the low simmer position may be efi'ected without affecting the rates of flow obtaining in other positions of the valve.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A double gas valve for use with double gas burners of the type having main and simmer burner sections, including in combination, a

valve body having a plug receiving chamber, a valve plug rotatably mounted in said chamber, said plug having an axially disposed passageway open to said chamber and a pair of coplanar passageways leading from said axial passageway to the surface of said plug, said valve body having a pair of outlet passageways adapted to supply gas to the simmer and main burner sections of the burner, respectively, the simmer burner section outlet passageway communicating with said axial passageway and the main burner section outlet passageway communicating with the plug surface in the plane of said 00- simmer burner section outlet-passageway solely through said branch'gas inlet and through the first of said co-planar passageways, in a third position gas is supplied only to the simmer section through said main gas inlet and said first co-planar passageway, and in a fourth position gas is supp-lied from th main gas inlet to said axial passageway through the second of said coplanar passageways and from said axial passageway to the simmer burner section outlet passageway and also to the main burner section outlet passageway through said first co-planar passageway.

2, A double gas valve for use with double gas burners of the type having main and simmer burner sections, including in combination, a

valve body having a plug receiving chamber, a, valve plug rotatably mounted in said chamber, said plug having an axially disposed passageway open to said chamber, a pair of main passageways and an auxiliary radially disposed passage- 0 way leading from said axial passageway to the surface of said plug, said auxiliary passageway being located between said main passageways, said valve body having a pair of outlet passageways adapted to supply gas to the simmer and main burner sections of the burner, respectively, the simmer burner section outlet passageway communicating with said axial passageway and the main burner section outlet passageway communicating with the plug surface, said valve body having also main and branch gas inlet passageways communicating with the plug surface, said branch gas inlet passageway being adapted to pass a comparatively ,small quantity of gas, the said pair of main radially disposed passageways in said plug and the passageways in the valve body communicating with the plug surface being so constructed and arranged that in one position the plug surface seals the main' and branch gas inlet passageways, in a second position gas is supplied only to the simmer burner section outlet passageway solely through said branch gas inlet, in a third position gas is supplied only to the simmer section through said main gas inlet, and in a fourth position gas is supplied to both burner section outlet passageways through said main gas inlet, and gas is supplied to said axial passageway through the said auxiliary radially disposed passageway to both burner section outlet passageways in a position intermediate said third and fourth positions.

3. A double gas valve for use with double gas burners of the type having main and simmer burner sections, including in combination, a valve body having a plug receiving chamber, a valve plug rotatably mounted in said chamber, said plug having an axially disposed passageway open to said chamber, a pair of main passageways and an auxiliary radially disposed passageway leading from said axial passageway to the surface of said plug, said main passageways being of considerable diameter and located approximately 90 from each other, and said auxiliary passageway being of small diameter and ter minating in an enlarged-portion at the plug surface, said valve body having a pair of outlet passageways adapted to supply gas through flow restricting orifices to the main and simmer sections of said burner, said simmer section outlet passageway communicating continuously with the axial passageway in the plug and said main burner section outlet passageway communicating with the plug surface and of a size corresponding substantially with those of the radial pas-' sageways in the plug, a main gas inlet passageway in saidvalve body communicating-with the plug surface at a point displaced approximately 90 from said main burner outlet passageway and of a size corresponding substantially to the latter and the main radial passageways, a branch gas inlet passageway of small diameter connecting the main gas inlet passageway and the plug surface and opening to the plug surface about 60 from the main gas inlet passageway on the side opposite the latter from the main burner section outlet passageway, whereby in an off position the plug surface seals the main and branch gas inlet passageways, in a low simmer position gas is supplied only to the simmer burner section outlet passageway solely through said branch gas inlet and axial passageway, in a simmer position gas is supplied only to the simmer section through said main gas inlet and axial passageway, in a full on position gas issupplied to both burner section outlet passageways through said ma'in gas inlet passageway and through both said main radial passageways and axial passageway, and in positions intermediate the simmer and full on positions gas is supplied to both burner sections in regulatable quantities, and said auxiliary passageway maintaining the supply of gas to the simmer section in positions adjacent the simmer position.

4. A gas valve according to claim 3 wherein all the passageways providing communication with the valve plug surface are in the same plane.

PHILIP S. HARPER. 

